


Day 106

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [106]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-23 09:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23676163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [106]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257





	Day 106

Roberto arrived at Rock Bottom wearing dirty rags over his normal silks. The disguise would not hold up under scrutiny but he refused to let the bug-infested cloth tough his skin. The place was full of drunk or stoned customers and, he was glad to see, not a single templar. It was not hard to find the mage underground leaders. Keenan, an aging human with greying red hair, and Jelika, a blond elf, formally of the Kirkwall Circle. They were doing their best imitation of stoned out of their minds which looked more like sleepy and dull-witted. He made no secret of his approach and could tell that his presence had piqued their interest.

“Roberto,” Keenan said in greeting. “How goes your research?”

Roberto smiled. “I believe I have made an important breakthrough,” he said. “One that will change the very structure of your organization.”

“Oh?” Jelika seemed sceptical. She had good reason, as Roberto was spinning complete fabrications for them, but he doubted he would have much trouble convincing them.

“I might have found a way to remotely destroy a phylactery.”

“What?” both mages sat up, all pretence of being stoned forgotten. Roberto smiled and held up his hand.

“The odds of it working are quite remote but the only way to know for sure is, well...”

“To test it in an escape attempt,” Jelika finished.

“How?” Keenan asked.

“A ritual,” Roberto said. He had written out instructions as though he had copied them from an older text. He had written it out in tevine with translation notes written in the margins. There were a few minor errors so that the other mages could ‘correct’ him. Jelika took the bait and Roberto feigned angry embarrassment but he eventually relented to her ‘superior knowledge.’ By that time, all though that he was lying had evaporated, replaced by the euphoria of discovery and the high of having corrected someone.

“We can arrange for an escape as soon as tomorrow,” Keenan said. “We had a few plans in motion already and this ritual of yours, should it work, will simply increase the chance of success.” The two mages began making plans and asking for Roberto’s input. He told them of an abandoned laboratory where he had set up all he needed for the ritual.

“If the escapees meet me there,” he said. “I can break their connection to their phylacteries there. Two would be the best number for an experiment. Maybe a human and an elf as magic affects the races slightly differently. Or a man and a woman for variety.”

“As much as I’m sure you want to conduct this like a laboratory experiment,” Jelika snapped. “These are the lives of mages you are so casually discussing. We will extract those we are best able to, not the ones that best sate your curiosity. Also, as you seem to be a bit rusty in your tevine, I will conduct the experiment, based on the instructions you have uncovered.”

“Of course,” Roberto said, rising to his feet. “I will retire to the laboratory to prepare everything for you. I will wait there for your word.”

The drake blood had done nothing for Roberto’s magical abilities. The templars were on high alert, and had not abandoned their search like Roberto had expected them to. It was far too much trouble for no benefit. It was probable he needed a high dragon. Grace would, no doubt, have some comment on how useless the male’s of the species were. Maybe if Roberto was lucky she would be the one who tried to escape tomorrow and he could finally be rid of her.


End file.
